CZ334296A3 - Disposable absorption article, process and apparatus for producing thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/SE95/00539 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 23, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 23, 1997 PCT Filed May 15, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO95/31163 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 23, 1995A liquid-absorbent article to be worn by a user and comprising a substantially longitudinal absorption body (1) and a cover (2) enclosing the same. On a first side, facing the user in an in-use position, the cover displays a liquid pervious first cover-sheet (3) and on a second side, facing away from the user in an in-use position, the cover displays a second cover-sheet (4). On said first side is provided longitudinal liquid barrier means (17, 18) folded into tunnel shape, forming a channel (17', 18') with a longitudinal tunnel wall (17'', 18''). Said folded portions enclose longitudinal means (24, 25) with an elastically resilient supporting action acting in all directions transverse to the longitudinal direction of the article against the tunnel wall (17'', 18'') of the folded portion.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a disposable absorbent article according to the preamble of the appended claim 1.

The invention also relates to a method and apparatus for producing an absorbent article according to the preamble of the appended claims 6 and 9, respectively.

More particularly, the present invention relates to articles provided with leakage barriers originally intended for use on sanitary napkins but which may be used on other types of absorbent articles such as incontinence pads, diapers and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Marginal leakage is a widespread problem primarily in sanitary napkins, because menstrual blood spots are difficult to remove and are experienced by the affected user as extraordinary embarrassing. The sanitary napkins, as opposed to diapers or the like, are fastened directly in the panties by the user. Because both their size and shape vary greatly, it can easily happen that the adjustment of a sanitary napkin is less than optimal and varies from one use to another and between different users. An additional factor that increases the risk of leakage is that the sanitary napkin deforms or moves from its original position in the panties during use.

The negative effects of misalignment and / or deformation of the sanitary napkin can be alleviated to some extent by providing wilted barriers against edge leakage on each longitudinal side of the sanitary napkin. Even if, by chance, the sanitary napkin occupies such a position that it is wetted at the rim portion, it can prevent fluid from flowing over the rim and soiling the wearer's clothing.

In addition, edge leakage barriers are effective to control the spread of fluid in the longitudinal direction of the sanitary napkin. This is particularly useful in conjunction with currently available, extremely thin sanitary napkins, which often have an absorbent core with a high fluid dispersion capacity. A drawback with these absorbent cores is that they typically disperse fluids uniformly well in all directions. This increases the leakage as soon as the fluid reaches the side edges of the sanitary napkin.

A number of different raised leakage barriers are known in the prior art. for example WO 93/12795 showing edge leakage barriers on a sanitary napkin formed by folded portions of the sanitary napkin wrapper. The elastic cord, fixed and prestressed at each end, extends along the inside of the formed folds and keeps the barrier raised in the user position. Ensuring that the ends of the cord are securely fastened entails considerable demands on the manufacture of sanitary napkins. In addition, this cord does not squeeze sideways. In addition, transverse folds are formed by the action of the elastic cord in the barrier wall, which may be perceived by the wearer as discomfort.

An additional problem with modern sanitary napkins is that surface materials often contain a perforated plastic layer having favorable characteristics in terms of high liquid permeability, high surface dryness and low rewet (i.e., low risk of fluid being pushed back through the layer) . Such a material is perceived by many users to be plastically (sticky) and thus it has become common to provide the peripheral portions of the sanitary napkins with a plurality of textile strips of nonwoven (fibrous fabric). An example of a document describing such textile edges is SE-B-900349D-1, showing edge sections with flat folds, producing a very limited fluid stopping effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having an edge leakage barrier that effectively resists squeezing in the direction of occurrence as well as laterally through the integrated resilient action.

This object is achieved by an absorbent article according to the invention, the characteristics of which are apparent from the appended claim 1.

This object is also achieved by a method and apparatus for producing absorbent articles, the characteristics of which are apparent from the appended claims 6 and 9, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in detail by means of a pair of embodiments thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an absorbent article according to the invention in the form of a sanitary napkin.

Giant. 2 shows a cross-section along line II-II in FIG. 1, showing edge barriers with elastic means in a first embodiment.

Giant. 3 is a partial cross-section corresponding to FIG. 2, but with elastic means in the second embodiment.

Giant. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a device for manufacturing an absorbent article according to the present invention.

Giant. 5 a

Giant. 6 illustrate a folding device included in the present invention.

Giant. 7 is a perspective view of a bending device and a bending device according to the present invention.

Giant. 8 a

Fig. 9 shows the folding device in a side view and a top view, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 1 and 2 generally comprise a substantially elongate fluid absorbent body and a casing 2 encapsulating it. In the illustrated embodiment, the wrapper is provided with a liquid-permeable wrapper layer X that faces the user in the user position. The liquid-permeable layer 3 is suitably composed of a non-absorbent fabric or a perforated plastic film. The wrapper is also preferably provided with a liquid impermeable cover layer 4, e.g. made of plastic film or hydrophobic fibrous material, said wrapper 4 being facing the user in the user position, and the liquid pervious cover layer 1 extends over the central portion of the sanitary napkin. yř. its entire length, but not over its width, while the fluid i. the impermeable cover layer 4 extends outwardly along; In the embodiment shown, the wrapper is encapsulated by two edge strips 7, 8, a skin-friendly textile material, or, for example, a fibrous (non-woven) polymer polymer, which are connected to fluids along the outer edge panel 9, 10. an impermeable layer forming the hemline longitudinal edge portions 11, 12 of the sanitary napkin. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal edge portions are each provided with wing-like projections 11

The 12 'gez can be fastened to the sanitary napkin after it has been folded over the edge of the panties by means of an adhesive adhesive. For example, the connection between the different layers in the container 2 is achieved by heating the material to a melting point, for example by means of ultrasound. In a similar manner, the inner edge portions 13, 14, the edge strips 7, 8 are connected to the longitudinal edge portions 15, 16 with the liquid-permeable layer 3. Adhesive can certainly be used instead of cooking, i.e. melting the layers together. In addition, the cover layer 3 may alternatively extend completely below the edge strips 7, 8, and be directly attached to the second cover layer 4.

In order to form the edge leakage barriers 17, 18, the edge strips 5, 6 are folded to form a fully enclosed tunnel shape, the encapsulating channel 17 ¹¹ , 18 ¹¹ through which the inner edge portions 15, 16 are inserted and the underside also 3, and are attached thereto, for example, by gluing or welding using heat or ultrasound application. The tunnel shape may alternatively be formed solely by the packaging layer 3 or by said layer and the edge strips 7, 8, which may for example be bent into an omega shape with the layer 3 as the backing layer.

According to the invention, the folded edge strips 5, 6 are provided with elastic means by materials which, in the form of FIG. 2 comprise a bellows-shaped cross-sectional shape, and made, for example, of a fibrous fabric (non-woven) holding the filler strips 24, 25, the edge barriers in an upright position and facing crumple occurrence as well as sideways.

Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the bonding of the textile edges and the raised leakage barriers was achieved. The main component is folded material inside the outer channels. This composite material should be of a type having some built-in flexibility to provide elastic support to the formed wall of the 17 ^τ 18 ¹ tunnel. In addition, this material should be substantially insensitive to wetting so as to maintain its characteristics during use. The material tested so far is a thermo-bonded non-woven polypropylene fiber material. Of course, other types of fibers with a relatively high built-in elastic action, such as materials that have been treated (for example with a coating) to increase their action, are certainly usable. Thus, each strip 24, 25 is provided with one or more longitudinal folds having a V or Z (zig-zag) cross section with a built-in prestressed transversal in the longitudinal direction of the strips. The strips are fastened at their edge-portions 24 /, 24 ^11, 25 ^1, 25 ^{1 1,} at least partially abutting the tunnel walls 17 ¹ 18 ^1st In the illustrated embodiment, the folded strips 24, 25 are directed to an upright position by trying to lift and support the walls of the tunnel 37 ', 18', even after some flattening, which may occur in a commercial package. However, a highly resilient action is also achieved in other transverse directions by folding and incorporating the resilient deformation resistance of the material.

This barrier can, due to its design, stop or slow the spread of the fluid enough to have time to be absorbed by the underlying absorbent body. The barrier may be more or less liquid impermeable by making the liquid impermeable or hydrophilic material. The folding of the material and the thickness of the barrier also contribute to the fluid stopping effect. But it noo ^f any advantage if the barrier is pervious to steam.

Giant. 3 illustrates a barrier against edge leakage 17 in a second embodiment, wherein the elastic means are comprised of a cord of, for example, foam material or fibrous material, providing elastic action to these barriers in all directions, seen in cross section, i.e., transverse elasticity. Preferably, the cord may be pre-stretched, i.e. pre-loaded in the longitudinal direction, to a transverse dimension below the transverse dimension of the channel during manufacture, resulting in dimensional growth in the transverse direction and thereby mechanical closure against the tunnel wall and bias in the transverse direction. results in increased flexible action.

In addition, the elastic means in both embodiments have both in common that they do not need to be fixed in the barrier wall, thereby avoiding unnecessary stress.

Referring to FIG. 4, this describes a method and apparatus for making an absorbent article according to the present invention. Herein, the description is limited to the production of a portion of the package 2 which supports the barrier against edge leakage 17, 18. The remainder, i.e. the manufacture of the absorbent body, of the liquid-impermeable layer 4 and its association with the remainder of the packaging is known from the prior art and should not require further explanation.

The apparatus of FIG. The apparatus comprises cutting rollers with an outer edge edge 22, 23 for cutting two outer edge strips 24, 25 to form the respective filler or elastic means in the barriers. The center cutting roller 26 divides the stream of intermediate material 27 into two portions 28, 29, to form edge strips 7, 8, with tunnel portions in barriers against edge leakage 17, 18.

The outer edge strips 24, 25 are each supplied to their own folding device 30, 31 for folding the strips into bellows sections, which will be described in more detail below.

The folding device 32, 33 is also included in the device for each current portion 28, 29 in which the barrier is formed by folding into a tunnel shape with the interposed stripe inserted, as will be described in more detail below.

From the supply cylinder (not shown), a stream is supplied to form liquids permeable. Finished edge strips 7, 8, with material 34, which wrap layers 3 associated barriers 17, 18, are supplied at a distance spaced to match the width of the material stream 34 bonded together and guided by a coupling device 35 for joining the folded edge strips 7, 8 to the longitudinal edges 35, 36 of the flow of material 34. The device 35, for example, comprises a combined heating device using ultrasound. (punch) in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 5 and 6, two rotating interlocking guides show rollers 36, 37 having zig-zag tracks 33 relative to each other. When the strips 24, 25 are fed through these rollers, they are given the same shape as the profile of these tracks, i.e. zig-zag or composite (bellows, accordion) shape, after which the strips are fed to the folding devices 32, 33, see FIG. Giant. 7.

The folding device 32, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, 8 and 9, includes a folding plate arrangement, the main body of which consists of a spaced longitudinal outwardly open chute 39 extending substantially transversely (see arrow 40) to the feed direction 41. In addition, in a horizontal plane (plane) delivery) are included two redirects! the edges 42, 43, while the inlet of the chute 39 (the chute) has two, in relation to the horizontal plane, inclined diverting edges 44, 45.

By pulling the edge strip along the longitudinal direction of the chute 39, a folded portion of the edge strip is formed. FIG. 7, it is apparent that the strip 24 folded in a bellows shape is supplied somewhat at an angle to the chute 39 from the folding device 30, by which the strip is guided and compressed against the lower portion 46 of the chute. By means of this, it is ensured that the d ý t η θ 1 is subsequently closed without the filler material attached between the sealed layers.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments in the appended drawings, within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it is possible for the edge leakage barriers to be formed only by folding the packaging layer. The strip 24, 25 may, in particular, be doubled in connection with bending. This may also stretch in the transverse may be laid using a rotation angle. For example, by laying, i.e. rotated 90 ° or obliquely, for example with a 45 ° bevel. For example, the barriers may extend transversely to the direction of the article or may be provided with hygienic protection, for example incontinence, in which they may be described but may be illustrated by changing the folding direction. The folded strips of the illustrated thrust stretch differently, along the longitudinal stretch in the shape of a curve, in other diaper protectors, the barriers being designed with considerably larger dimensions.

over

Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS 01500 K, K t O A disposable absorbent article to be worn by a user comprising a substantially longitudinal absorption body / 1 / and the container '/ ^2/1 ¾¾ _ encapsulant, which has a first side facing the uzrvate1 in use position, a liquid-permeable first casing sheet / 3 /, and on the other hand, facing away from the user, has in the user position a second packaging layer (4) in which said first side is provided with at least one longitudinal fluid-inhibiting means (17, 18) in a molded part formed from a layer of material (7, 8) folded into tunnel shape, forming a channel / 17 ^ ^{1 X} 18 V with the longitudinal wall of the tunnel / 17 ^{x <1} Ia ^ /, characterized in that the portion folded into a tunnel-shape encloses longitudinal elastic means / 24, 25; 19 / with an elastically resilient support action acting in all directions transversely to the longitudinal direction of the article against the wall of the tunnel (17 *, 18 *) of the folded part. Product according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic means (24, 25) comprise a strip of material folded in its longitudinal direction. 3. The article of claim 1 wherein said material strip comprises a fibrous material. 4. The article of claim 1 wherein the elastic means (19) comprises an elastic strip of fibrous or foam material. 5. An article according to claim 4, characterized in that the strip in unloaded state, has a transversal dimension exceeding the transversal dimension of the channel / 17 ¹¹ 18 ¹¹ /, but is biased in a limited transverse dimensions within a mechanical closure longitudinally against the tunnel wall / 17 ¹ , 18 ¹ /. The article of claim 2, wherein the two longitudinal edge strips (7, 3) form two edge portions (9, 10) of the package (2), wherein the longitudinal portion of the edge strips (7, 8) forms said folded portion into the liquid barrier means (17, 18). A method of manufacturing a disposable absorbent article for use by a user, comprising a substantially elongate absorbent body (1) and a wrapper (2) encapsulating it, having a liquid-permeable first wrapper (3) on the first side facing the user in a user position. and the second side facing away from the user in the user position is provided with a second wrapping layer (4) in which at least one longitudinal fluid-preventing means (17, 18) is formed on said first side, formed by folding a portion of the material stream into a tunnel forming a longitudinally closed tunnel wall / ^IC 17, 18 ^{* 9 11} /, characterized in that said folded portion in a first step is held open and that in this open section, the insertion of the longitudinal elastic means / 24, 25; 19), and in a second step, the folded part is imparted to the tunnel by encapsulating said elastic means. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the elastic means (24, 25) are formed by folding a strip of material. The method of claim 8, wherein said strip of material (24, 25) is formed by cutting off a portion of the outer edge of the flow of material. Apparatus for producing a disposable absorbent article for use by a user, comprising a substantially elongate absorbent body (1) and a wrapper (2) encapsulating it, which is provided with a liquid-permeable first wrapper (3) on the first side facing the user in the user position. and the other side facing away from the user in the user position is provided with a second coating layer (4), by means of which, on said first side, at least one fluid-preventing means (17, 13) formed by folding a portion of the material stream into a tunnel shape. forming a longitudinally closed tunnel wall / 17 ^T 13 ^R /, characterized in that the apparatus includes přehýhací device / 32 / for forming said folded-over portion into an open fold and devices / 39 / for continuously supplying said elastic elements / 24, 25; 19) into the open fold and a device for sealing (closing) the fold into a tunnel-like shape, Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the device comprises a folding device (30) for forming elastic means by longitudinally folding a strip of material (24, 25). Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the folding device (32) comprises a folding plate arrangement with diverting edges (42, 43) for diverting the flow of material (28, 29) towards the entrance to the gap-shaped, open chute (39). /.